Article counter



Oct. 8, 1929, R.'F|TCH 7 1,730,498

' ARTICLE COUNTER Filed Jan. 51, 1927 our Patented Oct. 8, 1929 RAYMOND FITCH, or TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIG-NOR. TO THE CHAMPION ire-LEAK rArE'R ms'n COMPANY, or romznno, OHIO, A oonroanrron or OHIO a ARTICLE COUNTER Application filed ll'anuary 31', 1927. serial 1%.164765.

. This invention has utility when incorporated in counters for marking at predetermined quantity or production, as in the manufacture of food trays.

' Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary View, in side elevation, of an embodiment of a paper food tray forming machine having an embodiment of the invention incorporated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the counting device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the counting devlce' e n Fig. 4 is a section on the line IVIV, 3, looking in the direction of the arrow 3, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line VIVI, Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 7 is a View on the line VIIVII, Fig.

L 3, looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 8 is a view looking into the device of Fig. 7 and V Fig. 9 is asection on the line IXIX, Fig. 5. Driven by belt 1 on pulley 2 machine 3 is supplied with sheet stock as paper 4. Such paper is blanked at press 5, and by the operation of plunger 6 against head 7 there is formed food tray 8 from such blank.

' Actuated from plunger shaft arm 6, and in synchronism with the plunger 6, is rock arm 9 having terminal grab portions 10 eifective, as the plunger 6 approaches its limlt of descent, to engage tray 8 and thrust such' along guide 11 into chute 12 having side portions 13. This chute 12, as a discharge way, is accordingly supplied with the trays 8 as formed by the machine 3 through the intermediary of the transfer device.

The way 12, 13, is provided with cr0ssover frame 14 carrying top plate 15 and relatively yieldable lower plate 16 having up standing ledge 17. This plate 16 is fixed with the late 15 remote from the frame 14 and is yieldable to hang toward the guide 11 so that Fig. 5 is a section on the line VV, Fig.-

as the'articles 8 are thrust along such guide 11 they may ride past the ledge 17 and, thus be maintained in the chute 12, 13, when the arm 9 is retracted to engage thev succeeding article as produced. g a 1 Just toward the machine 3 from the ledge 17 and to be operated by an article as passing is a rocker or depending arm 18. This arm 18 is disposed clear of the transfer-device 9, 10, so that in the instance 'no article is-delivered by this transfer device there, is no operation of this arm 18. Due to lack of paper stock or to failure of the stapling device to hold the article when the terminal balanced by such quick movement to be directed toward the, chute 12, 13, .but'is auto matically culled to be thrown aside' therefrom and thus not actuate therocker 18.

This rocker 18 is fixedly ,mounted on stub shaft 19 carried by bearing block 20 anchored by screws 21 with frame 22. This stub shaft 19in the block 20 toward the frame 22 has fast thereon arm 23 having spring 24- normally holding pivoted dog 25 in inwardly directed radialv position. -Theshaft 19 has within rib portions 26, 27, spiral spring 28, one terminus 29 thereof being fixed with the shaft 19 and the arm 23, and the-other terminus 30 being fixed with the block 20. There-is accordingly a tendency to hold this depending rocker 18 in a limit positionwith the arm 23 against an end of the rib- 26 with the arm having a clearance for swinging in way between the ribs'26, 27, at the :lowerportionl- At the upper portion, clearance 32 between the ribs 26, 27 permits mounting of holding dog-33 as cooperating with ratchet 34. This a ratchet 34 is fast on shaft 35 in the housing 22 which shaft 35has fixed thereon worm 36..

worm 36 rotates the wheel 37 once, such complete rotation of the wheel 37 is thus effected upon the passage of 125 articles past the rocker 18. V

In the housing 22 on shaft 38 fixed with the worm wheel 37 is insulation disk 39 carrys ing radial contact 40, in position in' the plane of fiber washer or insulator 41. This insulator 41 is provided with radial opening-42 in which is disposed contact pin 43 normally urged by spring arm 44 against the periphery of the insulation disk 39. An insulation mounting 45 for this arm 44 is connected with electric current supply wire 46 from transformer 47 as a .low voltage current supply in. parallel with line 48 from such transformer 47.

Line 48 extends to terminal 49 While the current from the line 46 as passing through the: switch 40, 43, is conducted from the shaft 38 by terminal 50 and wire 51 to terminal 52 on frame 53. l

I This frame 53 is shown as having mounted therein a plurality of coils 54 of solenoids.

' =These solenoids as energized upon closing of the switch 40, 43, pull down armature 55. This armature 55 has centrally therein plunger 56 fasttherewith. The armature 55 is normally maintained. elevated away from the solenoid coils 54 by spring 57. This plunger 56 is of tubular form and has near its lower terminus opening 58 back of which 7 is friction washer-or rubber gasket 59 through which is projected marker, as crayon 60. Abutting this crayon 60 iscap 61 abutted by threaded'stem 62 operated through cap portion of plunger 56 having threaded assembly with the plunger; At the adjusted position for this threaded stem 62 iniprojecting the crayon 60, lock nut 63 may be operated.

In the operation of thedevice hereunder .it is thus seen that as articles are shifted into thechute oftray way 12, 13,- and before really entering such wayeach article tallies for effecting a counting herein, say asto a predetermined'number of 125 trays. This counting is effected by the actioniupon the 'rocker 18, the speed reduction mechanism at the intermittent grip device and the worm and worm wheel. This counting, as reaching the 125, or other predetermined number according to the gear and speed reduction, is effective through the switch 40, 43, for causing the marking crayon 60 to be thrust down intotthe path of the next succeeding food tray 8, thereby disclosing a mark thereon. As the machine continues to have trays formed and delivered to the chute 12, 13, the

"switch 40, 43, isopened for a repetition of this cycle of operationupon the succeeding count of 125 trays.

There is thus convenience for the packer to. locate the 250- groupings of the trays 8 in'the chute 12, 13, and transfer such identified number, say to a carton, for such articles to he-packed for shipment. There is thus saved the time of the operator as to auto matically inspected counted quantity of product independently of the operation of the machine in so far as there may be production from the machine.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A way for receiving count identified.

articles, a reciprocable transfer device for definitely delivering articles to the way, a record identifying'counter having an actuator disposed to be operated by the definitely assisting in article quantity isolation in the;

way, including an article actuated counter, a switch connected to the counter, and a solenoid actuated article identifying recorder to be cut in by the switch.

3. A. way for receiving count identifiedi articles, a transfer device for delivering articles to the way, and a recorder for predetermined article number identification for assisting in article quantity isolation in the way, including a counter actuable by the rocker, a switch-connected to the counter, and a switch controlled article identifying device.

' '4. An article counter comprising a rocker,

the rocker to the shaft, a gear actuated by the shaft, a contact carried by the gear, and an additional contact to cooperate with the gear carrying contact as a switch, a circuit controlled'by the switch embodying a sole-: noid, and a plunger recorder normally spring retracted and operated by the solenoid for effecting a record identification operation.

In witness whereof I affix my signature.

RAYMOND FITCH.

a Worm shaft, a ratchet transmission from} 

